AN HONOUR: Salahuddin (right) congratulates Ghani after the investiture ceremony. — Penerangan photo
KUCHING: Head of State Tun Datuk Patinggi Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng bestowed state awards and medals to 176 recipients in an investiture ceremony held at the Dewan Besar, Astana Negeri Sarawak, Petra Jaya, yesterday.
Leading the list of recipients was former Sarawak Teachers’ Union (STU) president William Ghani Bina, who received the Johan Bintang Kenyalang (JBK); while Jirok alias Jidokson Raway, Deputy Betong Resident Pathe Abdul Rahman and Supt Denis Leong Soon Kuai each received the Pegawai Bintang Sarawak (PBS). Albert Tang, Jimmy Simon Maja, Teo Tiong Aik, Sharifah Maimunah Syed Mohammad, Supt Mohd Hanafiah Arshad, Supt Razali Ibrahim, Lim Kien Thai and Nurulhuda Abdullah alias Nancy Dom were among the 10 recipients of the Pegawai Bintang Kenyalang (PBK).
Bernard Suling Nanggang, Dolhadi Marzuki, Mohamad Junaidi Mohidin, Sipol Ambun alias Sipol Strassman and Hanan Othman were among the 11 recipients of the Pegawai Perkhidmatan Bakti (PBB) award.
Meanwhile, 47 others were awarded the Ahli Bintang Sarawak (ABS), 13 awarded the Ahli Bintang Kenyalang (ABK), 28 awarded the Pingat Perkhidmatan Terpuji (PPT) and 63 awarded Bentara Bintang Sarawak (BBS).
Among those present were Salahuddin’s wife Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Norkiah, State Legislative Speaker Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nasar, Assistant Minister in Chief Minister’s Office (Promotion of Technical Education) Datu Len Talif Salleh and Deputy State Secretary Datu Misnu Taha.